Anxiety & Coping Skills

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Instructional Tools & Materials:

Anxiety & Coping Skills

The following are instructional tools, resources, and example lesson plans of how to effectively teach students about the different kinds of anxiety, how they can impact their school and personal lives, and how to effectively practice coping strategies.

TeenHealthFX Related Questions:

Panic Attacks & Past Experiences

I just want to make everything better

What is anxiety? What are symptoms?

Panic Disorder: Should I attend my friend’s party?

TeenHealthFX Hot Topics:

Bipolar Disorder: What teens need to know?

Meditation for Teens

Test anxiety

Benefits of Mindfulness

TeenHealthFX Resources:

White Noise App

Mindfulness App

Mindfulness Websites

New Jersey Mental Health Resources

National Mental Health Resources

Multi Day Lesson Plans:

Day 1: What are the different kinds of anxiety disorders?

Day 2: Treatment options & How to get help

Day 3: Ways to create positive mindfulness & practice positive mental health

Objectives:

Students will discuss the difference between anxiety disorders

Students will understand the various symptoms and warning sides of anxiety disorders

Students will research the various treatment options available

Students will identify positive coping skills

Day 1:

"Do Now": What is anxiety? Do you think there are different kinds? Why or why not?

Activity:

Discuss “do now” activity as a class discussion, post on google classroom (or similar on-line format)
 

Students will begin to brainstorm what anxiety is:

• Have students consider the different kinds in their explanations

• What makes someone be diagnosed with anxiety Does everyone experience anxiety to some degree? When is it serious? 

• Discuss the different symptoms and warning signs people may experience?

  • Are they all the same?

  • Are there specific ones only certain people can experience? Why or why not?

  • What do you think are warning signs?

  • Do all people experience all the same symptoms?

• Students can create a chart (example listed below or graphic organizer)

**Alternative options:

Small group project: Assign each group a type of anxiety disorder to research and create a PowerPoint, Google Slide, or other type of presentation.

Day 2: Treatment Options & How to get help

Picking up from the day prior, have students pick up where they left off:

Activity:

• “Do Now:” What are some treatment options & resources you found in your research?

• Create a running list of all the resources the students found through a discussion or posted question/responses:

                             Create a google doc

                             Easel paper

                             Note page/Memo pad on student’s technology device

• Discuss briefly discuss treatment options with students  

• Brainstorm all the ways they can get help in school: Tell a teacher, talk to school counselor or student assistance counselor, a school nurse, how to talk to your parent/guardian.

• Provide students with scenarios listed below. Have them discuss what type of anxiety it is (if any) and what the next steps would be:

  • Jen’s mother died a year ago, but Jen is still having a really hard time. She can’t sleep through the night and gets very nervous when people around her get sick. What should she do?

  • Brandon was in a bad car accident last year. He has not driven since and when he needs to go in a car – he always is on the verge of a panic attack. Does he have an anxiety disorder? What should he do?

  • Your friend tells you that he gets super nervous before tests and sometimes feels a rapid heart beat and can’t calm down. However, once the test is over, he feels better. Is this anxiety? Why or why not?

    **Consider having students create their own scenarios and swap with other groups to solve the case.

Day 3:  Ways to create positive mindfulness & practice positive mental health

Activity:

“Do Now”: What do you do to relax? What stress reduction activities work for you?

              Create a running list of answers, have students answer in an on-line forum,

Discuss Healthy vs Unhealthy Stress Reduction Activities (examples below)

Practice some mindfulness techniques:

• Have students meditate, there are many guided meditations on YouTube and in the resource page.

• Have students journal their thoughts and feelings – encourage them to seek help if needed

• Increase self-esteem by having students create an “about me” poster or poem focusing on what they are good at and strengths

   

Additional resources, videos, and potential lesson plans can be found here.

The TeenHealthFX Teacher Pages correlate with the following National Health Education Standards:

1. Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.

 2. Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology and other factors on health behaviors.

3. Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information, products, and services to enhance health.

4. Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.

5. Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.

6. Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health.

7. Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

 8. Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

These materials were developed by TeenHealthFX.com, a program of the Adolescent and Young Adult Center for Health at Goryeb Children’s Hospital.